Monthly Archives: August 2014

Are 12 months a long time? Sometimes, you can’t wait and time goes slowly. Sometimes, you want to keep a moment forever but then it is over with a blink. For us, as we were volunteers at Isibani and the Place of Safety for a year, time had different faces. But now, back in Germany, we are wondering: “How could the time pass by so quickly?”

We remember our first day in South Africa as it has been yesterday, how it felt to be thrown in at the deep end: In a country where we don’t know anyone, with people who speak different languages, with work we never did before. And suddenly, there is a farewell and we think that we don’t want to leave this place.

We learned so much and we really liked our work – it is so great to be a part of Isibani: you can work with an amazing team and you are free to realize own ideas, own projects. Now, when we look back, we see the results of our work. Because we received so much we hope that we could give a little bit back to Isibani and Isiphephelo.

There is nothing that can ever take away the experiences and memories we got in South Africa and we are very grateful for that. We will keep the lovely people who crossed our lives in our hearts and won’t ever forget this great time. Thank you to the Isibani volunteers who were there to support us – it was great to be a part of this wonderful team. We are missing South Africa already and surely, we will come back one day. Hopefully, time is going fast.

by anne diessner

People come and go in our life, some disappear quickly, others stay for a while and leave their footprints on our hearts.

A year can be like a month as we meet and then we realize we have to say goodbye again. We had to celebrate a farewell to Freya and Anne from Germany who stayed at Isibani for one year. They were competent and valuable colleagues and we were very sad when they were leaving Isibani. Their presence shall be really missed.

I wish them all the best in their future, as they are going to further their education. They may be gone but they won’t be forgotten